PHAM8HJ October 1988
1
ASPECTS OF PERESTROIKA
South African activists are deeply
interested in the radical changes
happening in the Soviet Union, in
this article we look at some of the
infernal and
international
restructuring taking place as part
of the USSR's new p o l i c y of
perestroika. Following this is a
series of extracts on the Third
World and South Africa by CPSU
General Secretary
Mikhail
Gorbachev, taken from his book
'Perestroika - New thinking for Our
Country and the World'.
RESTRUCTURING IN THE USSR
THE South African struggle for national liberation is taking place id
a period of a worldwide transformation from capitalism to socialism.
Imperialism and capitalism through its policy of plunder and
extermination has left a legacy of economic underdevelopment in thd
Third World. There is poverty, ignorance, hunger, epidemi*
diseases, malnutrition, a high infant mortality rate and corruption
The struggle for national liberation can only be meaningful if it is
aimed at defeating imperialist domination in the underdeveloped
and developing countries.
Political and economic liberation from imperialism inevitable
strengthens the world's progressive forces. The USSR as the leade
of the socialist bloc plays an important role in the international
struggle against imperialism. The general direction of this struggl
is dependent on the genera! deve' >pment of political and economi
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PERESTROIKA
events in the USSR itself. So any radical changes taking place in the
USSR are of international significance.
The repercussions of change in the USSR could have either
disastrous or beneficial results for the whole of progressive humanity.
This is why it is important for progressives and South African activists
to study developments in the USSR.
What is perestroika and glasnost?
Although there is no precise translation in English, generally
perestroika refers to 'restructuring', 'renewal' or 'reconstruction'
while glasnost means 'openness*. Glasnost is political and social
openness, self-criticism and criticism in the interests of socialism.
In a speech last year to the 18th Congress of Trade Unions of the
USSR, USSR General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev said refering to
socialist democracy: T h e more democracy we have, the faster we
shall advance along the road of restructuring and social renewal, and
the more order and discipline we shall have in our socialist home".
Perestroika is the process of radical transformation of sociopolitical, economic and philosophical ideas and practise taking place
in the USSR. According to Gorbachev: "Perestroika concerns
virtually every main aspect of public life". He is the first to point out
that although identified with him, the success of perestroika depends
on millions.
The radical reforms being implemented in the Soviet Union are
viewed by the nation as being deeply rooted within the socialist
system based on Marxism-Leninism. Implementation of
perestroika, then, marks another stage in the development of
socialism.
Why perestroika?
According to Gorbachev, this process of renovation is based on
the history of socialist experience since the October revolution of
1917.
Armed with the analytical tools of Marxism and Lenism, the
Bolsheviks transformed the semi-feudal Russia into a modern
industrial giant in less than five decades of socialist experience - an
economic miracle capitalism realised after 300 years.
Imperialist aggression in World War Two caused incalculable
destruction to the Soviet economy, and 20 million people perished.
The defeat of Nazism by Soviets demonstrated the capacity of the
socialist society. This was further emphasised by the post-war
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PHAMBILI October 1988
economic recovery.
Before full economic recovery could become a reality, however,
another phenomeon came onto the world political stage - nuclear
weapons, with consequent heightened tension with the imperialist
camp.
It was in the mid 50s that Soviet economy developed to higher
levels with more attention being given to development of agriculture,
housing, light industry and consumer goods. However, lack of
democratic processes to match these developments stifled the
economic reforms.
The CPSU attempted to correct the situation by formulating new
approaches to economic management. This move paid dividends in
its initial stages as evidenced by the general rise in the standard of
living. However it was not long before economic stagnation set in
with consequent degeneration of other aspects of social life.
Crisis and economic failures
This crisis was described by Gorbachev in these words: T h e
country began to lose momentum. Economic failiures became more
frequent. Difficulties began to accumulate and deteriorate, and
unresolved problems to multiply. Elements of what we call
stagnation and other phenomena alien to socialism began to appear
in the life of society."
It was at the April 1985 plenary meeting of the CPSU Central
Committee and at its 27th Congress that the problem was roughly
diagnosed. The diagnosis revealed that problems stemmed from the
economy. Serious lack of efficiency in production was the major
problem.
It manifested itself in the dropping of growth rates, the wastage
of natural resourses, the underutilisation of the electronic and
computer revolution for economic progress, poor quality and
shortages of goods and the lagging behind in scientific and
technological development.
This economic dislocation had negative effects on other aspects
of social life. The growing requirements of housing and education,
health services and foodstuffs were not being met.
There was, too, a gradual ersosion in the ideological and moral
values of the people: "eulogizing and servility was encouraged, the
needs and opnions of working people ignored". Many leaders stood
beyond control and critism The arts, science and culture were
affected by mediocrity and formalism.
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Perestroika: the radical option
It was against this background that the April 1985 plenary
meeting of the Central Committee of the CPSU adopted
revolutionary steps for modernising the Soviet life. At the core of
this modernisation process under the banner of perestroika is radical
reorganisation of the economy so as to accelerate the socioeconomic development of the whole Soviet society. The new
economic policy was combined with glasnost and the
democratisation process with its emphasis on giving the people full
participation in modernising socialism rather than being the task and
responsibility of a few leaders.
Perestroika is viewed as a lengthy revolutionary process which
has definite stages. Its revolutionary character is understood as the
imparting of a new quality to socialism rather than a change in
property relations or transference of state power from one class to
another. The revolutionary reforms envisaged by perestroika are
basically aimed at realising socialism's potential to the fullest. It is
thus not a radical move from socialism to its highest stage communism.
Workers at the heart
Central to its success is the support of socialism's central force
- the worker. The worker's material and spiritual life could be
enriched and elevated when the full potentialities of socialism are
realised and thus becoming a truly humanitarian system.
The worker must not only master the process of production, he
has to be a full participant in deciding matters of state and social life
in general. Hence the deepening of democracy in practise is the
indispensable component of perestroika. Contrary to reactionary
voices from imperialist sectors, perestroika does not mean revision
of socialism but its development.
Two stages
As a process, restructuring completed its first stage in the mid
1980s: theoretical formulation and adoptation of decisions. The
second stage, that of practical implementation of perestroika, is in
its initial stages. This is the stage in which perestroika will come into
contact with the practical activity on the part of millions of Soviet
people:"... the creative endeavour of the masses is the decisive power
for acceleration." The current slogans of perestroika: "Land to the
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PHAMBlLi October 1988
Tillers!" Factories to the Workers!" And Power to the People!"
expresses the radical commitment of perestroika to the deepening
of socialism.
EFFECTS OF PERESTROIKA ON THE
INTERNAL SITUATION
Economics
The Soviet economy, which is based on socialism and public
owner ship, is seen to hold unlimited possibilities for economic
progress and intensive development.
Some of the shortcomings of the old economic machinery were
identified as the lack of inner stimuli or initiative for
self-development, bureaucratization and top heavy management, the
"gross output drive" which meant an emphasis on productivity rather
than quality or needs, the failure to maintain and upgrade existing
factories, wastage of resources, and the policy of wage equalising.
The new economic mechanisms emphasise the process of
acceleration and the adoption of resource-saving technologies. An
aim is to equal world technological standards and modernisation,
priority being placed on the development of Soviet mechanical
engineering, electronics etc. New forms of democracy and the
encouraging of shared planning at work include new management
mechanisms, the election of managers and the setting up or
revitalising of work collective councils.
Explaining economic reform, Gorbachev says that while in a
planned economy it might be more obvious to start from the centre,
reality and accumulated experience dictated a different logic. The
result was that they started with enterprises, factories, collectives to
create good economic conditions and on that basis introduce
changes to the higher echelons of economic mangement.
In order to facilitate rapid social and economic reform the
centralised command system is being replaced by the new
democratic system based on centralism and self-management. In
order to ensure that economic units serve Soviet society properly a
number of measures have been adopted.
Cost accounting envisages a enterprise using publically owned
means of production, and meeting all expenses to the state budget
with profits made from the sale of products, etc. The state would
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finance expansion and modernisation.
New concepts of centralisation involve democratising planning
beginning with collectives and enterprises. The emphasis will be
on a transition from the centralised distribution of resources (state
orders) to wholesale trade (direct ties between producers and
consumers). "In short, the advantages of planning will be increasing
combined with stimulating factors of the socialist market", writes
Gorbachev.
It is hoped that the composition and volume of state orders will
be gradually reduced, with central bodies playing a role in gauging
labour productivity, monitoring and encouraging development,
scientific and technological progress.
The principles of self-financing and self-maintenance are
already in operation in a number of industries - construction,
transport and agriculture. It was envisaged at the beginning of this
year (1988) 60% of industries would be operating on this principle.
The role of the trade unions is seen as giving a stronger social
orientation to economic decisions and acting as a counter-balance
to technocratic tendencies, and enroachments on the rights of
workers.Trade union committees should have teeth, and not be
convienient partners for management".
Political changes
Perestroika sees a strict demarcation between the functions of
the state and of the Communist Party in conformity with Lenin's
conception of the party as the political vanguard of society, and the
role of the Soviet state as an instrument of government by the people.
The party has come under criticism for falling prey to bureaucratic
centralism, and is being challenged to revitalise democratic
centralism.
Representation of working people into the top ranks of
government is being increased. Direct representation of civic
organisations is to be added to the direct territorial representation
of the population. These deputies, elected for a five-year term,
would comprise the Congress of USSR People's Deputies. The
deputies would also elect a smaller body of about 450 to consider
legislative, and monitoring questions.
Democratisation of the political process means developing and
deepening Leninist principles of accountability of popular
representatives, ensuring that they are subject to recall, and
operating on the basis of popular mandate. Gorbachev is also
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PHAMBILI October 1988
determined to challenge the stagnation of democracy, by limiting the
terms of office of top public representatives.
Social policy
Housing and food production are viewed as the key to improving
standards of living. Other aspects of social life have improved due
to the improvements in the economy. Housing construction has
increased while health services show noticeable improvement.
Economic improvements made it possible for the increase of salaries
of teachers and medical personnel.
The Soviet legal system is coming under review with special
attention being paid to consolidating socialism's guarantees of
human rights and freedoms.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN THE
ERA OF RESTRUCTURING AND
OPENNESS
"We need lasting peace in order to concentrate on the
development of our society and to cope with the task of improving
the life of the Soviet people", writes Gorbachev. Perestroika's
international aspects involve a programme for the advancement to
peace without nuclear weapons as an indispensible condition for
humanity's sur vival. Perestroika recognises the development of new
factors in world politics: the threat of nuclear war, unprecendented
social and economic consequences arising out of science and
technology, the universal ecological threat, and the spread of
communications systems. It recognises there is a worsening of global
problems such as starvation and Third World debt, and calls for
interna tional co-operation for the benefit of peace.
Underlying perestroika's international relations is the principle
that "every people and every country has the freedom of social and
political choice". It counterposes the concept of the "balance of
power" and reciprocal equal security to the militarist and
interventionist doctrine on which imperialist politics is based.
Universally shared values combined with class values form the
general approach to peaceful coexistence to ensure survival of life
on this planet. In the face of imperialist domination and aggression
the socialist world is appealing to the vast majority of humanity which
is concerned with social progress anc peace.
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Nuclear war, says Gorbachev, cannot be a means of achieving
political, economic, ideological or other goals. While socialism is
gaining prestige and lessening anti-communist sentiment, giant
strides have been made towards disarmament and the cutting of
nuclear weapons. The historic signing of the agreement between the
Soviet Union and the United States on a cut on intermediate and
shorter range nuclear weapons is a notable achievement of
perestroika.
There are many lessons that a liberated South Africa could learn
from the Soviet Union - how the people built a nation, problems of
industrialisation, questions of democracy and socialism.
Political activists and all progressive minded people must be able
to judge for themselves whether socialism is gaining strength or
weakened by policy changes in the Soviet Union. The current
changes being enacted in the USSR as embodied in two concepts:
perestroika and glasnost signify a radical and progressive change in
the development of socialism since its victory 70 years ago.